That's probably the way he is-- a bit of a pretentious dbag. He doesn't have to like everything you like, but rolling his eyes and being dismissive is just jackass behavior. Also, it's tiresome. Hipsters think they're SO edgy for hating anything mainstream when the truth is that hipster culture has in many ways become the mainstream. Also, hipsters have been rebelling against the mainstream for decades. ("Hepcats" in the 1950s were rejecting the smooth crooning of Sinatra in favor of Chuck Berry's rocking guitar licks.) The hipster who only likes bands that no one has heard of has become a cliche. A true music fan doesn't just listen to one specific genre-- there's just too much great stuff out there. A good song is a good song, whether it's performed by incendiary hip-hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All or Taylor Swift.
Also, with indie bands adopting poppier sounds and looking to music from the '80s and '90s for inspiration, it's pretty foolish to keep up the whole "mainstream music sucks" attitude. Take the recent crop of synth-pop-y bands like Foster the People, Chromeo, The Naked and the Famous, Passion Pit, and MGMT. Whether hipsters like it or not, those bands were inspired by Depeche Mode, New Order, and other '80s pop giants. Even the new Bon Iver album has songs that wouldn't be out of place on a Bruce Hornsby record. Also, chances are this guy liked some of the bands you like before they became mainstream. (He probably had the first Coldplay record, for instance.) Hipsters automatically hate anything that becomes popular. Which is silly, because many times bands get better once they break through and sign to a major label. (Not to mention the fact that most so-called indie rock labels are actually owned by giant conglomerates.) And it's not like the music being made on the indie scene is all that revolutionary. Are alt-country folksters like Fleet Foxes or The Avett Brothers really all that different from, say, Mumford and Sons, a band hipsters seem to have suddenly turned on?
Sorry to get off on a rant there, but I just have no time for music snobbishness. Anyway, his attitude is bad news for a first date. (Memo to guys: rolling your eyes at any time during the first date is a surefire way to ensure that you'll be going home to your vinyl Pixies albums alone.) You were showing interest in the bands he likes, so there's no reason why he should act like such a high-and-mighty jerk just because you don't have Pitchfork.com bookmarked. If he's smart, he'll realize he was being John Cusack in High Fidelity instead of John Cusack in Say Anything... and cool it with the Judge-y McJudgerson act. Also, if he likes you, he may eventually drop his hipster facade and be willing to learn more about the music you like. Hopefully if things work out, you guys will expose each other to new music. While you may not always have the same taste, at least you'll be respectful of each others' interests.
If everything else went well, it wouldn't hurt to give him one more chance. Definitely call him out on his too-cool-for-school attitude and let him know that he's being an insufferable hipster. Could be that he was joking around, and took his music snob routine a bit too far with the whole eye-rolling thing. But if he continues to act condescending towards you to the point of belittling you or making you feel bad for liking the things that make you happy, maybe you should consider whether you want to keep seeing him. Because nobody wants to date someone who makes a stinkface every time they sing along when Katy Perry comes on the radio.
Also, with indie bands adopting poppier sounds and looking to music from the '80s and '90s for inspiration, it's pretty foolish to keep up the whole "mainstream music sucks" attitude. Take the recent crop of synth-pop-y bands like Foster the People, Chromeo, The Naked and the Famous, Passion Pit, and MGMT. Whether hipsters like it or not, those bands were inspired by Depeche Mode, New Order, and other '80s pop giants. Even the new Bon Iver album has songs that wouldn't be out of place on a Bruce Hornsby record. Also, chances are this guy liked some of the bands you like before they became mainstream. (He probably had the first Coldplay record, for instance.) Hipsters automatically hate anything that becomes popular. Which is silly, because many times bands get better once they break through and sign to a major label. (Not to mention the fact that most so-called indie rock labels are actually owned by giant conglomerates.) And it's not like the music being made on the indie scene is all that revolutionary. Are alt-country folksters like Fleet Foxes or The Avett Brothers really all that different from, say, Mumford and Sons, a band hipsters seem to have suddenly turned on?
Sorry to get off on a rant there, but I just have no time for music snobbishness. Anyway, his attitude is bad news for a first date. (Memo to guys: rolling your eyes at any time during the first date is a surefire way to ensure that you'll be going home to your vinyl Pixies albums alone.) You were showing interest in the bands he likes, so there's no reason why he should act like such a high-and-mighty jerk just because you don't have Pitchfork.com bookmarked. If he's smart, he'll realize he was being John Cusack in High Fidelity instead of John Cusack in Say Anything... and cool it with the Judge-y McJudgerson act. Also, if he likes you, he may eventually drop his hipster facade and be willing to learn more about the music you like. Hopefully if things work out, you guys will expose each other to new music. While you may not always have the same taste, at least you'll be respectful of each others' interests.
If everything else went well, it wouldn't hurt to give him one more chance. Definitely call him out on his too-cool-for-school attitude and let him know that he's being an insufferable hipster. Could be that he was joking around, and took his music snob routine a bit too far with the whole eye-rolling thing. But if he continues to act condescending towards you to the point of belittling you or making you feel bad for liking the things that make you happy, maybe you should consider whether you want to keep seeing him. Because nobody wants to date someone who makes a stinkface every time they sing along when Katy Perry comes on the radio.
Mumford & Sons are amazing, to discuss one of the examples there. I basically have respect for a band if they write their own music and sing live. I can sort of understand being dismissive of a band that doesn't do that, regardless of whether they're indie or mainstream.
The thing about a lot of indie bands is that they can't become famous. If they did, they'd lose their original fanbase, and not many of them (in my opinion) actually have the talent to sustain a full music career, and with fame, people would notice that pretty sharpish. My favourite musician is Paul Simon. Guy's about as mainstream as they come, but a lot of his music has become popular incidentally, as a side order of being creative and exploring new avenues of music.
Plus, you bet your arse if one of those indie bands were offered a five-album contract for millions of dollars, they would snap that money up pretty damn quick. Music snobs are infuriating, is what I'm trying to say. And even if you like manufactured pop music, there's still a heck of a lot of effort that's gone into the track. It might not have been by the band, but production, mixing, editing, those are all musical skillsets too, and ones that can be admired.
*puts on Mumford and Sons*
I never buy music. Ever. I never really see the point. However I bought the Sigh No More album because every single song on it was amazing and brilliant and moved me. How could I not buy it? I had no idea they existed until I heard their song on an episode of Stargate Universe (and then promptly cried my eyes out). So whatever mainstream. It's the only way I'll ever hear any band.
Agreed. I like them. All of a sudden they're getting flack from hipsters who used to love them for getting too popular. Hipsters are lame.
Ok,I also think Mumford and Sons are amazing, but I think that is besides the point.
Someone rolling their eyes at you while speaking about anything, is just plain rude. He is a pretentious asshole. If he was a respectful and worthwhile guy he could not like your music without doing something so rude as roll his eyes (Can you tell that is a pet peeve of mine?). I wouldn't give that dude another minute of my time.
On a tangent side note:
I have been called a hypster. I appreciate good music, which doesn't necessarily rule out whats on the radio. I, personally, listen to a lot of "indie" as well as "classic rock" and "oldies."
For one, I really enjoy "classic rock" and "oldies" mainly because I grew up on it and I love singing along to good familiar songs. Secondly, I honestly believe you had to be genuinely talented to make it back then. There was not much producing, etc. like there is today. If I saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show and put on their record in the 60's, I'd get the same quality of music. I have seen Journey live, and they rock as much on the radio as they do live. Not so much today.
I find myself listening to a lot of "Indie" (for lack of a better term), because I just don't care for most of what's on top 40 radio. What happened to playing actual instruments or even quality electronica? What happened to writing lyrics that meant something? Bearing your soul as an artist or maybe even performing someone else's lyrics in a stunning way while bearing your soul (i.e Frank Sinatra)? I am just missing that element in a lot of top 40. A lot of it seems to glorify getting wasted or sex. I am not saying I hate everything top 40, I love The Script and Katy Perry. I will rock out to a Gucci Mane song now and then. Maybe, maybe even a Black Eyed Pea song.
I think hypsters have a bad rap. I am just picky about what I listen to. Sorry! I definitely humored my husband being dragged to Lil' Wayne at Bonnaroo.
Seriously, who doesn't like Mumford and Sons? Besides hipsters, apparently.
I have to say that for the past few of hours i have been hooked by the impressive articles on this site. Keep up the great work.
I have to say that for the past few of hours i have been hooked by the impressive articles on this blog. Keep up the great work.
Greet stuff thank yo for the information